Smart homes move into the mainstream

Home automation systems that can control entertainment bundles, lighting in a few rooms or security systems are becoming more mainstream. And to operate most systems, all you need is your smart phone and Internet access.

They're also getting more futuristic, with capabilities such as dropping window shades when they sense the sun's too bright, running your dryer, operating a front-door lock that senses when you're home, and automatically dispensing dog food.

More than 1.5 million home automation systems were installed in the U.S. last year, double the number in 2011, despite a slow economy and housing market, according to ABI Research, a New York City-based technology market research firm. The firm estimates that in 2017, more than 8 million systems will ship.

The rapid expansion is being propelled by major cable and phone companies, including Verizon, Comcast and Time Warner, and home improvement and security providers like ADT and Vivint, which have been rolling out mobile-controlled systems — including some that users can install themselves — every few months for the past few years.

That's making technology once reserved for the tech-elite more readily available to the mass market, and those not as electronically literate, said Jonathan Collins, a principal analyst at ABI Research.

"It's certainly moving from a niche market to a far more mainstream market," Collins said.

An uptick in business

Dan Bright, the owner of eInteractive Homes, a 12-year-old home automation system installation company in West Milford, said he has seen a 30 to 40 percent uptick in business in the past few years, and plans to double his staff of six this year.

And it's not just because of more customers, but also because people are purchasing bigger packages, believing that home automation systems give their homes the extra edge needed to get them sold in a tight market, Bright said.

Homes in the New York City metropolitan area are especially likely to be equipped with such systems, some of which can detect water leaks when you're not home or sync all the TVs in a home to one mobile device. The income levels and higher-cost homes in the region make it an attractive market to electronics giants, many of which are also based here, said Delia Hansen, residential solutions manager for Rockleigh-based Crestron Electronics Inc.

Home automation systems vary widely in price and hardware depending on the type of technology, the size of the house, the difficulty of installation and the options chosen.

Some systems need cameras wired throughout the house, while some climate-control systems may require rooms with specialized window treatments. Entertainment systems may require additional servers and wiring as well, and to control everything, these systems usually require a touchscreen control panel on a wall or remote that can cost around $1,000 depending on the brand; a computer; or a mobile device like a smart phone, iPad or laptop with an Internet connection.

Bright and Hansen both said they have installed systems ranging from $5,000 into the six and seven figures.

One system Crestron installed in a celebrity's home in Connecticut included an indoor-outdoor pool with seven French doors that at a push of the button dropped into the ground — independently, if so desired. The area was also outfitted acoustically, Hansen said.

But many new systems from well-known service providers and companies are on a subscription basis, costing far less in the short term.

AT&T set to launch system

Last year, home improvement giant Lowe's released Iris, a home automation system that customers can set up themselves in an hour. The system can remotely set temperature to cut down on energy bills and recognize if it's you walking through the door or an intruder. After a base fee of $179 for the technology, a basic version is free, while a premium version runs $9.99 a month.

And this month, AT&T plans to launch its own home automation system, called AT&T Digital Life, which helps automate and secure the home. The services will allow users to control and secure their homes using any Web-enabled device, regardless of wireless carrier, but will need to be installed by a pro.

"There's no capacity limits to the number of devices we can connect and integrate," said Tom DeVito, vice president and general manager for AT&T, who declined to say when and where the service will launch or the cost.

Even North Jersey electronics giants are making what were once niche products more mainstream.

At the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in early 2013, LG Electronics, which has its North American headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, showed off its vision for smart living – integrated its washer, dryers, refrigerators and other home appliances with just one mobile app. The "smart appliances" are expected to be released this year.

Last August, Panasonic Corp., which has its North American headquarters in Secaucus, launched an Android app to control its home automation systems, though the app is available only in Japan.

Systems appealing to travelers

Joshua Baris of Tenafly, a Realtor with the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Fort Lee, has a system that lets him control his home's indoor and outdoor security cameras, heating and cooling systems, lighting and front-door lock from three apps on his iPhone.